1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal encoding apparatus for encoding an audio signal or audio and video signals to audio data or audio/video data to be recorded in an audio recording medium, an audio data transmitting method for transmitting the audio data encoded in the encoding apparatus through a transmission medium, an audio data recording method for recording the audio data transmitted according to the audio data transmitting method in the audio disc, audio data decoding method for decoding the audio data transmitted according to the audio data transmitting method, and an audio disc for recording audio data to be read out from its top position.
2. Description of the Related Art
2.1. Previously Proposed Art
A conventional compact disc (CD) has been known as a conventional audio signal playback optical disc. Also, a digital video disc (or a digital versatile disc) (DVD) has been recently known as an optical disc having a packing density higher than that of the CD. The digital video disc is called DVD-video disc in this specification.
Also, a DVD-Audio disc has been recently known as an optical disc for music.
2.2. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, in cases where both a video signal (or video data) and an audio signal (or audio data) are recorded in the same DVD-video disc, the video signal is primarily recorded in the DVD-video disc, and the recording of the audio signal is subordinated to the recording of the video signal. Therefore, there are following problems.
First, the audio signal is integrated with the video signal in the DVD-video disc, so that the audio signal and the video signal are recorded as a set. Therefore, a memory capacity for the audio signal is considerably lower than that for the video signal.
Secondly, a time management for the audio signal cannot be performed independent of the video signal.
Thirdly, simple text information such as a music name cannot be read out from the DVD-video disc.
Also, because users, who are entertained with music obtained by playing back the audio signal, desire the DVD-video disc to be used for various purposes as compared with users entertained with a picture relating to the video signal, a simple audio play method is required of the DVD-video disc. For example, the users for the audio signal desires to arrange an area of table-of-contents (TOC) in the DVD-video disc in the same manner as in the CD. However, in the DVD-video disc, a video contents block unit is composed of a navigation control pack (called a CONT pack), a plurality of video (V) packs and a plurality of audio (A) packs, and the playback of the video and audio packs is controlled by using the CONT pack. Therefore, even though a user intends to primarily record the audio signal in the DVD-video disc independence of the video signal, a user cannot easily play back the audio signal, so that there is a problem that the DVD-video disc is not very useful for the user.
Also, the time management in the DVD-video disc is performed for each video frame. Therefore, even though a user intends to primarily record the audio signal in the DVD-video disc independence of the video signal, because it is important to continuously play back the audio signal as compared with the video signal, there is a problem that it is difficult to perform a time management for the audio signal in real time.
Also, in cases where a musical composition is recorded in a DVD-Audio disc, when the musical composition is played back, users desire that the musical composition is easily played back from its top position. Also, it is convenient for users that the DVD-Audio disc is compatible with the DVD-video disc.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a signal encoding apparatus in which an audio signal or audio and video signals are encoded to audio data or audio/video data to be primarily recorded in an audio disc and to be easily read out from the audio disc according to TOC (table-of-contents) information recorded in the audio disc.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an audio data transmitting method in which audio data (or an audio signal) is transmitted to a human editor to be primarily recorded in an audio disc.
A third object of the present invention is to provide an audio data recording method in which audio data (or an audio signal) transmitted to a human editor is recorded in an audio disc to be primarily recorded.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide an audio data decoding method in which audio data transmitted to a human editor is decoded to be primarily recorded in an audio disc.
A fifth object of the present invention is to provide an audio disc in which audio data of a musical composition (or a movement of a symphony) is recorded to be easily played back from the top position of the musical composition.
A sixth object of the present invention is to provide an audio data transmitting method in which audio data of a musical composition (or a movement of a symphony) is transmitted through a recording medium or a transmission medium to be easily played back from the top position of the musical composition.
The first object is achieved by the provision of a signal encoding apparatus, comprising:
signal encoding means for encoding a signal to produce audio data, audio title set information and table-of-contents (TOC) information;
formatting means for formatting the audio data produced by the signal processing means, audio manager information and audio title set information to arrange the audio data in an audio pack, to arrange the audio manager information in an area of an audio manager and to arrange the audio title set information in an area of an audio title set, and arranging table-of-contents (TOC) information in an area reserved for copyright information which is arranged in a control data block provided according to a DVD-ROM standard, in the audio pack, in the area of the audio manager, in a table-of-contents (TOC) file or in the area of the audio title set; and
outputting means for outputting the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the table-of-contents (TOC) information formatted by the formatting means.
In the above configuration, audio data is produced by encoding a signal in the signal encoding means. Thereafter, the audio data is arranged in an audio pack, audio manager information is arranged in an area of an audio manager, audio title set information is arranged in an area of an audio title set, and table-of-contents (TOC) information is arranged in an area reserved for copyright information which is arranged in a control data block provided according to a DVD-ROM standard, in the audio pack, in the area of the audio manager, in a table-of-contents (TOC) file or in the area of the audio title set. The TOC information denotes information of a title, information of a start address of the audio data, information of a music play time and the like. Therefore, the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the TOC information are formatted. Thereafter, the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the TOC information are output.
Accordingly, in cases where the audio data is primarily recorded in an audio disc such as a DVD-ROM-audio disc, a DVD-ROM-Van disc or a DVD-ROM-audio disc type 2, because the table-of-contents (TOC) information is arranged in an area reserved for copyright information, in the audio pack, in the area of the audio manager, in the table-of-contents (TOC) file or in the area of the audio title set, the audio data can be easily read out from the audio disc according to the TOC information.
The second object is achieved by the provision of an audio data transmitting method, comprising the steps of:
preparing audio data, audio manager information, audio title set information and table-of-contents (TOC) information;
formatting the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the table-of-contents (TOC) information to arrange the audio data in an audio pack, to arrange the audio manager information in an area of an audio manager, to arrange the audio title set information in an area of an audio title set and to arrange the table-of-contents (TOC) information in an area reserved for copyright information which is arranged in a control data block formatted according to a DVD-ROM standard, in the audio pack, in the area of the audio manager, in a table-of-contents (TOC) file or in the area of the audio title set; and
transmitting the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the table-of-contents (TOC) information through a transmission medium.
In the above steps, the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the TOC information are formatted and transmitted to a personal computer of a human editor through the transmission medium. Therefore, the human editor can primarily record the audio data in an audio disc such as a DVD-ROM-audio disc, a DVD-ROM-Van disc or a DVD-ROM-audio disc type 2.
Accordingly, because the table-of-contents (TOC) information is arranged in an area reserved for copyright information, in the audio pack, in the area of the audio manager, in the table-of-contents (TOC) file or in the area of the audio title set, the audio data can be easily read out from the audio disc according to the TOC information.
The third object is achieved by the provision of an audio data recording method, comprising the steps of:
preparing audio data, audio manager information, audio title set information and table-of-contents (TOC) information;
formatting the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the table-of-contents (TOC) information to arrange the audio data in an audio pack, to arrange the audio manager information in an area of an audio manager, to arrange the audio title set information in an area of an audio title set and to arrange the table-of-contents (TOC) information in an area reserved for copyright information which is arranged in a control data block formatted according to a DVD-ROM standard, in the audio pack, in the area of the audio manager, in a table-of-contents (TOC) file or in the area of the audio title set;
transmitting the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the table-of-contents (TOC) information through a transmission medium;
receiving the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the table-of-contents (TOC) information through the transmission medium; and
recording the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the table-of-contents (TOC) information.
In the above steps, the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the TOC information are formatted and transmitted to a personal computer of a human editor through the transmission medium. When the human editor receives the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the TOC information, the human editor records the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the TOC information.
Accordingly, in cases where the audio data is primarily recorded in an audio disc such as a DVD-ROM-audio disc, a DVD-ROM-Van disc or a DVD-ROM-audio disc type 2, the audio data can be easily read out from the audio disc according to the TOC information.
The fourth object is achieved by the provision of an audio data decoding method, comprising the steps of:
preparing audio data, audio manager information, audio title set information, table-of-contents (TOC) information and a decoding program;
formatting the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information, the table-of-contents (TOC) information and the decoding program to arrange the audio data in an audio pack, to arrange the audio manager information in an area of an audio manager, to arrange the audio title set information in an area of an audio title set and to arrange the table-of-contents (TOC) information in an area reserved for copyright information which is arranged in a control data block formatted according to a DVD-ROM standard, in the audio pack, in the area of the audio manager, in a table-of-contents (TOC) file or in the area of the audio title set;
transmitting the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information, the table-of-contents (TOC) information and the decoding program through a transmission medium;
receiving the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information, the table-of-contents (TOC) information and the decoding program through the transmission medium; and
decoding the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the table-of-contents (TOC) information according to the decoding program.
In the above steps, the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information, the table-of-contents (TOC) information and the decoding program are formatted and transmitted to a personal computer of a human editor through the transmission medium. When the human editor receives the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information, the table-of-contents (TOC) information and the decoding program, the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the TOC information are decoded according to the decoding program. Therefore, the audio data, the audio manager information, the audio title set information and the TOC information can be recorded in a disc.
Accordingly, in cases where the audio data is primarily recorded in an audio disc such as a DVD-ROM-audio disc, a DVD-ROM-Van disc or a DVD-ROM-audio disc type 2, the audio data can be easily read out from the audio disc according to the TOC information.
The fifth object is achieved by the provision of an audio disc for recording data at a data format, the data format comprising:
an audio file, having a file name, for arranging audio data of a musical composition at an audio format; and
a table-of-contents (TOC) file, having a file name, for arranging table-of-contents (TOC) information, which indicates a position of the audio data arranged in the audio file to play back the audio data from a top position of the musical composition, at a TOC format.
In the above configuration, when the audio data arranged in the audio file is played back by using an audio player, because a top position of the musical composition is specified according to the TOC information arranged in the table-of-contents (TOC) file, the audio data is played back from a top position of the musical composition.
Accordingly, the top position of the musical composition is easily specified, and a user can entertain the musical composition from its top position.
The sixth object is achieved by the provision of an audio data transmitting method, comprising the steps of:
arranging audio data of a musical composition at an audio format as an audio file;
arranging table-of-contents (TOC) information, which indicates a position of the audio data to play back the audio data from a top position of the musical composition, at a TOC format as a table-of-contents (TOC) file; and
transmitting the audio data of the musical composition and the table-of-contents (TOC) information through a recording medium or a communication circuit to record the audio data arranged at the audio format and the table-of-contents (TOC) information arranged at the TOC format.
In the above steps, the audio data of the musical composition arranged at the audio format and the TOC information arranged at the TOC format are transmitted to a human editor through a recording medium or a communication circuit and are recorded in an audio disc. Because the TOC information indicates a position of the audio data, when the audio data is read out from the audio disc, a top position of the musical composition is specified according to the TOC information, and the audio data can be easily played back from a top position of the musical composition.